Means for milking and handling the milk of farm animals



1952 G. R. DUNCAN MEANS FOR MILKING AND HANDLING THE MILK OF FARM ANIMALS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Original Filed April 25, 1949 INVEN TOR. Gear eR. Duncan ATTORNEYS G. R. DUNCAN Nov. 11, 1952 MEANS FOR MILKING AND HANDLING THE MILK OF FARM ANIMALS Original Filed A ril 25, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Fig.2

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Patented Nov. 11, 1952 MEANS FOR MILKING AND HANDLING THE MILK OF FARM ANIMALS George R. Duncan, Washington, Mo.

Original application April 25, 1949, Serial No. 89,374. Divided and this application June 15,

1950, Serial No. 168,241

16 Claims. (Cl. 11914.03)

This invention relates to means for milking farm animals such as cows or goats, and handling milk in an expeditious and sanitary manner, such that the milk as it comes from the farm animals is untouched by human hands. The invention includes a structure for leading the animals to the milking stall means, and means for conducting the milk, as it comes from the animal, to a refrigerated container, which container is provided A further object of the invention is to provide, in a milking barn, means for causing one or more of the farm animals to be located in an elevated position during the milking operation and an aisle for the convenience of the milking operator located below this elevated position, whereby the teat cups can be readily attached to the cows udder and one or more cows may be simultaneously milked in an expeditious and sanitary with means for cooling the milk and maintainmanner. The aisle is preferably located between ing the milk at the proper temperature, say, a wall of the milk house and the elevated stand about 33 F. used by the farm animals while being milked.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to pro- Further objects will appear hereinafter vide a sanitary milking structure whereby the throughout the specification. animals are led to the structure, are milked, and Among the further objects which will be dethe milk is immediately conducted by a conduit scribed herein are the following: the provision from the teat cups, directly from the animal to in a milking system, as hereinbefore described, a refrigerated container, without being touched of a meter which is so located as to measure the by human hands. milk of the farm animal during the milking op- Another object is to provide a structure where eration. the animals are stationed while the milking op- A weighing device which weighs the milk dieration proceeds, that is, separated by a wall or rectly as it comes from the cow, and before it is partition from the milk-containing and refrigled into the milk cans located within the refrigerating means, with conduit means connected to crating container. the teat cups as attached to the animals, the con- The combination of a milking stall and milk duit means extending from the cups through, or house, the former constructed so as to permit around, the wall or partition, to the milk can the cow to be led into the milking parlor from one forming the container means, the latter being 10- direction and led out of the same in another dicated in the refrigerating means. rection, and wherein the milk house is provided A further object of the invention is to provide with a mechanical refrigerator adapted to hold means for milking and for handling milk, which a plurality of the milk cans. includes a milk house that is separated from the In the drawings: place where the animals are milked, the milk Figure l is a perspective view of the barn with house containing the refrigerated container havwall portions cut away, and the adjoining milk ing a plurality of milk cans therein, and conduits house, and from the cans leading out of the milk house to Figure 2 is ahorizontal section of the structure the milking machine that is located in the stalls sh wn in Figure 1, with parts shown in plan. Where the animals t be milked are located- Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the

n additional Object of the invention is to letter A" designates the milk house and the letprovi e a str re f r xp i y an hygieniter "3 the barn. Neither the barn nor the milk Cally handling e milki g of a plur ity of a house is essential in the combination, but it is ma w y these animals, Whether t ey preferable to provide a milk house for the protecbe COWS goats may be led to a milking barn tion of the refrigerating means and to enclose enclosure and Secured in pmper position for milk the milking stall structure shown in the drawings ing and in immediate Proximity to a milk house in some type of enclosure, in order to protect the that contains a refrigerated container in which animals, while being milked, from inclement are located conventional milk cans. Weather conditions.

Yet another Object of the invention is to Referring to the milk house, the exact strucvide a structure in accordance with the preceding ture of which is f no particular importance t paragraph, wherein flexible conduits are Provided will be noted that it is provided with walls I and which connect the milking machine that is at- 2 and roof 3, w may be provided t a tached t0 t e WW udder. in Order t milk door 4 and this wall is also provided with a viewmay be drawn directly from the cow's udder into ing window 5, which may or may not be provided the milk cans or a single container located in the with glass.

refrigerated container.

Located within the milk house is a milk refrigerator 6 which is provided with a side door I for access to the interior thereof. Preferably mounted on one of the end walls 8 of the refrigerator is support 9 on which is located the refrigcrating mechanism designated generally I0, and this mechanism has regulating means H whereby tlie temperature of the refrigerating coils may be adjusted, so as to raiseor lower the temperature of the refrigerant. Therefrigerator is preferably driven by the motor [2 which is connected by a suitable belt drive, not shown. It is, of course, obvious that a gas refrigerator, such as a "Servel type, may be used in place of the motordi'iven refrigerator shown.

The top of the refrigerator 1 3 is provided with a plurality of apertures H which are closed by covers 15, each cover preferably being provided with apertures [6 for connection of the milk pipes shown at IT and I8. These two pipes extend, as shown in Figure 2, through an opening 19 in the wall 20 which is common to both the milk house and the barn. If no barn is used, the wall 20 forms one end of the milk house. As will be seen by referring to Figure 2, the milk line I8 has branches 2| and 22, each one of which leads to a plurality of teat cups 23 and 24. The vacuum line 25 is connected to a vacuum pump of a milking machine, not shown, and this pump may be of any suitable well-known type. The line 25 is provided with branches 26 and 21 which also lead to the teat cups 23 and 24. The line H is connected with line 25, as shown in Figure 2.

Provision is made for leading the farm animals, hereinafter referred to as cows, which are to be milked, up on the raised platform 28 having a curb 29, as seen in Figure 1. Between the platform 28 and the wall 20 is a passageway 30 forming the milkers station for the milking operator.

As seen in Figure 2 of the drawings, 31 is a ramp which forms an inlet for the cows. The present disclosure shows a layout for simultaneously milking two cows. The cows are positioned preferably facing in opposite directions, so that the teat cups 23 and 24 may be applied. After the milking operation is completed, the attendant, who occupies the passageway 30 forming the milkers station, detaches the teat cups 23 and 24 and opens the gates, hereinafter described, whereupon the cow which faces the exit ramp 32 uses this ramp, and the cow which faces the ramp 33 uses this ramp, to return to their respective stalls, or to the field. The three ramps 3|, 32 and 33, and platform 28, are enclosed by suitable fence means, such as the piping 34 shown in the several figures. In order to maintain the cows in proper milking position during the milking operation, there are provided pivotal gates 35, '36, these gates being pivoted at 31, '38, respectively. As seen in Figure 2, the gates are in their closed position.

Referring, again, to the refrigerator, the same may be constructed-in accordance with my Patent No. 2,425,519.

The pulsators of the milking machines are preferably located on the refrigerator, or on a post or the partition wall 20 or opening [9, so as to be at the back of the operator in aisle 30 when facing platform 28.

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 89,374, filed April 25, 1949, now Patent No. 2,512,094, and is an improvement of my application filed May 26, 1948, Ser. No. 29,336, now Patent No. 2,482,579,.grantedSeptember 20, 1949.

In the refrigerators of my prior applications and patents the milk in the cans is preferably maintained at a temperature of 50 F., by means of water sprays, the water itself being maintained at the proper temperature by the refrigerating mechanism. Other refrigerating apparatus may be substituted for those disclosed in these applications and patents.

As disclosed in my Patent No. 2,498,401, granted February 21, 1950, the milk is caused to fill one can after another, whereby each of the cans, not shown, gradually becomes filled with milk as it comes from the cows.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape, and of the materials used, as Well as in the details of the illustrated construction, may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a structure for milking farm animals and for conveying the milk to cooled milk container means as it comes from the animals comprising a platform having thereon means defining a pair of stalls for positioning two farm animals with their posteriors adjacent and their udders in close proximity to each other, mechanical milking means including two sets of teat cups located in close proximity to each other adjacent the animals udders whereby each set may be readily attached for milking the said pair of farm animals, a mechanical refrigerator adapted to support milk container means, said mechanical milking means further including milk line means connected to each set of teat cups and leading into said refrigerator for connection to milk container means located Within said refrigerator, a separate solid-partition, a milkers station located below and extending longitudinally of said platform and between the same and said solid-pattern, said solid-partition being located between said milkers station and said mechanical refrigerator.

2. In a structure for milking farm animals and for conveying the milk to cooled milk container means as it comes from the animals comprising a platform having thereon means defining a pair of tandem stalls for positioning two farm animals with their backs adjacent and their udders in close proximity to each other, mechanical milking means including two sets of teat cups located in close-proximity to each other adjacent'the animals udders whereby each set may be readily attached for milking the said pair of farm animals, a mechanical refrigerator adapted to support milk container means, said mechanical milking means furtherincluding milk line means connected to each set of teat cups and leading into said refrigerator for connection to milk container means located within said refrigerator, a

separate solid-partition, a milkers station located below and extending longitudinally of said platform and between the same and said solidpartition, said solid-partition being located between said milkers station and said mechanical refrigerator.

3. "In a structure'for milking farm animals and for conveying the milk to cooled milk container means as it comes :from the animals comprising a raised platform having thereon means defining a-pairof stalls forpositioningtwo farm animals with their backs adjacent and their udders in close-proximity toeach other, mechanical milking means including two sets of teat cups located in close :proximity to each other adjacent the animals udders whereby each setmaybe readily attached for milking the saidpair of farm ani- S mals, a mechanical refrigerator adapted to support milk container means, said mechanical milking means further including milk line means connected to each set of teat cups and leading into said refrigerator for connection to milk container means located within said refrigerator, a separate solid-partition, a milkers station located below and extending longitudinally of said platform and between same and said solid-partition, said solid-partition being located between said milkers station and said mechanical refrigerator, said solid-partition having an opening and said milk line means extending through said opening to said refrigerator.

4. In a structure for milking farm animals and for conveying the milk to cooled milk container means as it comes from the animals comprising a raised platform having thereon means defining a pair of stalls for positioning two farm animals with their backs adjacent and their udders in close proximity to each other, mechanical milking means including two sets of teat cups located in close proximity to each other adjacent the animals udders whereby each set may be readily attached for milking the said pair of farm animals, a mechanical refrigerator adapted to support milk container means, said mechanical milking means further including milk line means connected to each set of teat cups and leading into said refrigerator for connection to milk container means located within said refrigerator, and a milk house having walls, one of said walls forming a solid-partition, a milkers station located below andextending longitudinally of said platform and between the same and said solid-partition, said mechanical refrigerator being located in said milk house and said solidpartition being located adjacent to and between said milkers station and said mechanical refrigerator.

5. In a structure for milking farm animals and for conveying the milk to cooled milk container means as it comes from the animals comprising a raised platform having thereon means defining a pair of stalls for positioning two farm animals with their backs adjacent and their udders in close proximity to each other, mechanical milking means including two sets of teat cups located in close proximity to each other adjacent the animals udders whereby each set may be readily attached for milking the said pair of farm animals, a mechanical refrigerator adapted to support milk container means, said mechanical milking means further including milk line means connected to each set of teat cups and leading into said refrigerator for connection to milk container means located within said refrigerator, and a milk house having walls, one of said walls forming a solid-partition, a milkers station located below and extending longitudinally of said platform and between the same and said solid-partition, said mechanical refrigerator being located in said milk house and said solid-partition being located adjacent to and between said milkers station and said mechanical refrigerator, said solid-partition having an opening and said milk line means extending through said opening to said refrigerator.

6. In a structure for milking farm animals and for conveying the milk to cooled milk container means as it comes from the animals comprising a, platform having thereon means defining a pair of stalls for positioning two farm animals with their posteriors adjacent and their udders in close proximity to each other, mechanical milking means including two sets of teat cups located in close proximity to each other adjacent the animals udders whereby each set may be readily attached for milking the said pair of farm animals, a mechanical refrigerator adapted to support milk container means, said mechanical milking means further including milk line means connected to each set of teat cups and leading into said refrigerator for connection to milk container means located within said refrigerator, a separate solid-partition, a milkers station located below and extending longitudinally of said platform and between the same and said solid-partition, said solid-partition being located between said milkers station and said mechanical refrigerator, and a plurality of ramps connected to said platform on opposite sides thereof from said milkers station.

7. In a structure for milking farm animals and for conveying the milk to cooled milk container means as it comes from the animals comprising a platform having thereon means defining a pair of divergent stalls for positioning two farm animals with their backs adjacent and their udders in close proximity to each other, mechanical milking means including two sets of teat cups located in close proximity to each other adjacent the animals udders whereby each set may be readily attached for milking the said pair of farm animals, a mechanical refrigerator adapted to support milk container means, said mechanical milking means further including milk line means connected to each set of teat cups and leading into said refrigerator for connection to milk container means located within said refrigerator, a separate solid-partition, a milkers station located below and extending longitudinally of said platform and between the same and said solid-partition, said solid-partition being located between said milkers station and said mechanical refrigerator, and a plurality of ramps connected to said platform on opposite sides thereof from said milkers station.

8. In a structure for milking farm animals and for conveying the milk to cooled milk container means as it comes from the animals comprising a raised platform having thereon means defining a pair of stalls for positioning two farm animals with their backs adjacent and their udders'in close proximity to each other, mechanical milking means including two sets of teat cups located in close proximity to each other adjacent the animals udders whereby each set may be readily attached for milking the said pair of farm animals, a mechanical refrigerator adapted to support milk container means, said mechanical milking means further including milk line means connected to each set of teat cups and leading into said refrigerator for connection to milk container means located within said refrigerator, a separate solid-partition, a milkers station located below and extending longitudinally of said platform and between same and said solid-partition, said solid-partition being located between said milkers station and said mechanical refrigerator,

said solid-partition having an opening and said milk line means extending through said opening to said refrigerator, and a plurality of ramps connected to said platform on the opposite side thereof from said milkers station.

9. In a structure for milking farm animals and for conveying the milk to cooled milk container means as it comes from the animals comprising a platform having thereon means defining a pair of stalls for positioning two farm animals with their posteriors adjacent and their udders in close proximity to each other, mechanical milking means including two sets of teat cups located in close proximity to each other adjacent the animals udders whereby each set may be readily attached for milking the said pair of farm animals, a mechanical refrigerator adapted to support milk container means, said mechanical milking means further including milk line means connected to each set of teat cups and leading into said refrigerator for connection to milk container means located within said refrigerator, a separate solidepartition, a. milkers station located below and extending longitudinally of said platform and between the same and said solid-partition, said solidepartition being located between said milkeris station and said mechanical refrigerator, a pair of exit ramps, each of said ramps being connected to an opposite end of said raised platform,

and an inlet ramp connected to said latform between said exit ramps.

10. In a structure for milking farm animals and for conveyin the milk to cooled milk container means as it comes from the animals comprising a platform having thereon means defining a pair of divergent stalls for positioning two farm animals with their backs adjacent and their udders in close proximity to each other, mechanical milking means including two sets of teat cups located in close proximity to each other adjacent the animals udders whereby each set may be readily attached for milking the said pair of farm animals, a mechanical refrigerator adapted to support milk container means, said mechanical milking means further includin milk line means connected to each set of teat cups and leading into said refrigerator, a separate solid-partition, a milkers station located below and extending longitudinally of said platform and between the same and said solid-partition, said solid-partition being located between said milkers station and said mechanical refrigerator, a pair of exit ramps, each of said ramps being connected to an opposite end of said raised platform, and an inlet ramp connected to said platform between said exit ramps.

11. In a structure for milking farm animals and for conveying the milk to cooled milk container means as it comes from the animals comprising a, raised platform having thereon means defining a pair of stalls for positioning two farm animals with their backs adjacent and their udders in close proximity to each other, mechanical milking means including two sets of teat cups located in close proximity to each other adjacent the animals udders whereby each set may be readily attached for milking the said pair of farm animals, a mechanical refrigerator adapted to support milk container means, said mechanical milking means further including milk line means connected to each set of tea-t cups and leading into said refrigerator for connection to milk container means located within said refrigerator, a separate solid-partition, a milkcrs station located below and extending lon itudinally of said platform and between same and said solid-partition, S id solid-partition being located between said milkers station and said mechanical refrigerator, said solid-partition having an opening and said milk line means extending through said opening to said refrigerator, a pair of exit ramps, each of said ramps being connected to an opposite end of said raised platform, and an inlet ramp connected to said platform between said exit ramps.

.of farm 12. In a structure for milking farm animals and for conveying the milk to cooled milk container means as it comes from the animals comprising a platform having thereon means defining a pair of stalls for positioning two farm animals with their posteriors adjacent and their udders in close proximity to each other, mechanical milking means including two sets of teat cups located in close proximity to each other adjacent the animals udders whereby each set may be readily attached for milking the said pair of farm animals, a mechanical refrigerator adapted to support milk container means, said mechanical milking means further including milk line means connected to each set of teat cups and leading into said refrigerator for connection to milk container means located within said re.- frigerator, a separate solid-partition, a milkers station located below and extending longitudinall-y of said platform and between the same and said solid-partition, said solid-partition being located between said milkers station and said mechanical refrigerator, and vacuum line means connected to said sets of teat cups between said operators aisle and said mechanical refrigerator.

13. In a structure for milking farm animals and for conveying the milk to cooled milk container means as it comes from the animals comprising a platform having thereon means defining a pair of divergent stalls for positioning two farm animals with their backs adjacent and their udders in close proximity to each other, mechanical milking means including two sets of tea-t cups located in close proximity to each other adjacent the animals udders whereby each set may be readily attached for milking the said pair animals, a mechanical refrigerator adapted to support milk container means, said mechanical milking means fiu'ther including milk line means connected to each set of teat cups and leading into said refrigerator for connection to milk container means located within said refrigerator, a separate solid-partition, a milkers station located below and extending longitudinallyof said platform and between the same and said solid-partition, said solid-partition being located between said milkers station and said mechanical refrigerator, and vacuum line means connected to said sets of teat cups between said operators aisle and said mechanical refrigerator.

14. In a structure for milking farm animals and forconveying the milk to milk container means as it comes from the animals comprising a platform having thereon means defining at least one pair of stalls for positioning ,a pair of farm animals with their posteriors adjacent and their udders in close proximity to each other, mechanical ng means including at least two sets of teat cu s located in close proximity to each other adjacent the stalls whereby each set may be rea ly a tac ed or mi k n th sai p of farm animals, a mechanical refrigerator having front, back and side walls, said refrigeratqr being adapted to support the milk container means, said mechanical milking means further including a milk line means connected to each set of teat c ps and leading into said refrigeraand for conveying the milk to milk container means as it comes from the animals comprising a platform having thereon means defining at least one pair of sta11s for positioning a pair of farm animals with their posteriors adjacent and their udders in close proximity to each other, mechanical milking means including at least two sets of teat cups located in close proximity to each other adjacent the stalls whereby each set may be readily attached for milking the said pair of farm animals, a mechanical refrigerator having front, back and side walls, said refrigerator being adapted to support the milk container means, said mechanical milking means further including a milk line means connected to each set of teat cups and leading into said refrigerator for connection to the milk container means located within said refrigerator, means defining a milkers station between one of said refrigerator walls and said platform, said milkers station extending longitudinally of said platform, and ramp means connected to said platform.

16. In a structure for milking farm animals and for conveying the milk to milk container means as it comes from the animals comprising a platform having thereon means defining at least one pair of stalls for positioning a pair of farm animals with their posteriors adjacent and their udders in close proximity to each other, mechanical milking means including at least two sets of teat cups located in close proximity to each other adjacent the stalls whereby each set may be readily attached for milking the said pair of farm animals, a mechanical refrigerator having front, back and side walls, said refrigerator being adapted to support the milk container means, said mechanical milking means further including a milk line means connected to each set of teat cups and leading into said refrigerator for connection to the milk container means located within said refrigerator, means defining a milkers station between one of said refrigerator walls and said platform, said milkers station extending longitudinally of said platform, and a plurality of ramps connected to said platform at spaced intervals along the length thereof.

GEORGE R. DUNCAN.

Country Date Great Britain 1908 OTHER REFERENCES Farm Implement and Machinery Review, Nov. 1, 1946, page 645.

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